


Don’t You See Me Calling You

by lover_of_blue_roses



Series: Stockings 2019 [12]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Dork Lovers Server Stocking 2019 (Queen), M/M, Science experiment gone wrong, alien!brian - Freeform, asexual!brian, blind!deacy, everyone trying their best to fix this, invisible!deacy, mad scientist!roger taylor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:00:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22035202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lover_of_blue_roses/pseuds/lover_of_blue_roses
Summary: Deaky losing everything one day when an experiment goes horribly wrong, he becomes invisible, loses his sight and his freedom. Many years later however he befriends a wonderful alien who might just be able to see Deaky for who he is, but can Deaky come to accept who the alien is?
Relationships: John Deacon/Brian May
Series: Stockings 2019 [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1576186
Kudos: 16
Collections: DL Stockings 2019





	Don’t You See Me Calling You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sammyspreadyourwings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sammyspreadyourwings/gifts).



John Deacon (known by his friends as Deaky) had been working as an electrical engineer, his trained profession, on one of Dr. Taylor's machines when he had vanished. And vanished was the right word, the police had been unable to find any trace of him except that some of his important belongings were missing; clothing, toothbrush and a plant. But where could he have gone? And for what reason? They failed to find any trace of him anywhere. Still, for them to consider that he had been evaporated into dust was impossible. Yet all evidence did seem to point to him having simple vanished into thin air!

The terrible problem was that that was exactly what had happened to poor Deaky. He had been minding his own business, doing his work, and getting his pay when something had gone very, very wrong. Deaky, competent and proud of his work, was pretty sure he hadn't been electrocuted. Even if he had, that would have injured or killed him, not this. 

Instead, one of Dr. Taylor's machines--made by a man renowned for his 'unconventional thinking' bordering on being a mad scientist--had turned him completely invisible. 

Deaky hadn't been sure at first what had happened to him, for it came with a terrible secondary side effect of making him completely blind. For you see, eyes work when light reflects off their corneas, but as light passed right through him they could not function. 

Deaky didn’t really understand but that was what Dr. Taylor -just call me Roger at this point- told him. When Deaky had come to after being so rudely attacked by the man's machine, he had desperately felt around and called out, terrifying one of the present techies. 

Freddie was an art student that had found out he needed an elective credit in another department to graduate only a few minutes before class registration closed and had been desperate for anything. Despite the fact that he was in no way qualified to be there (math and science not being something he had remotely studied at a higher level) he was a cheerful, lively young man and Roger found him to be terribly great fun. 

It was so great that it wasn't long until they got romantically involved. It was true that there were some power dynamic problems, Dr. Taylor was technically Freddie's 'boss' (”If I'm not getting paid I'm not calling you boss.”). That being said, it was only a semester until Freddie got his needed credit and then they would never be in the same chain of power, let alone work in the same building. 

Deaky had called out to Freddie, rather logically thinking himself blinded somehow. Freddie ran out of the room screaming about spirits and ghosts. Roger had come to see what was happening, suspecting a prank but doubting how that could be possible with the room so tightly restricted and highly monitored.

John explained that he didn't understand Freddie's hysteria as he was right there, which led to the discovery that he'd become invisible. Roger hadn't been too considerate about how this had affected Deaky at first, content to run every test he could think of. Could he be detected on the non-visible spectrum? Infrared? UV? What about x ray? No? Did he have weight, could he manipulate the physical world? Yes? Well then what could this all mean?

Deaky didn't know and he didn't particularly care. What he knew was that being blind would affect every aspect of his life. He couldn't just go watch a movie or read a book. He could learn to read braille, how to use a cane and so on, but his life would be completely different. As if being invisible wouldn't make moving through public spaces complicated enough. How would he even cook himself dinner? It wasn’t impossible, blind people were out there living their lives, but it would be a great adjustment.

Despite not being able to see his face that was emoting, Freddie came and comforted the poor engineer. However as soon as Dr. Taylor heard about the sweet comforts that Freddie was crooning to him, he became emphatic. No one was to know! He was now to live in this lab, in the space created for him and to interact with the outside world as little as possible. 

If John didn't like the harmless, non-invasive, relatively short and few tests Roger was putting him through, no one outside the three of them could ever know. The notable downside was that with only one person working at the problem, Roger didn't know if or how long it would take to figure out how the invisibility had happened and how to undo it. If John became a human lab rat for the government, at least there might be the greatest minds and a military budget behind solving the problem.

But that was the problem with the government; between the military and the secret agencies of this country, let alone of the whole world, the chances that invisibility wouldn’t be used for nefarious purposes were zero. Even if they made John a public figure, him coming out about being invisible so at least there would be a chance the government would spit him back out (to say nothing of how easy it would be to 'misplace' an invisible man) his whole life would be a media circus even if he was returned to his visible body. Not to mention that sure, they'd want to know how they themselves could do it, but how interested and what priority level would reversing it be?

Deaky understood of course. He'd heard and agreed with Roger's rants on the subject. Dr. Taylor was interested in space exploration, particularly in creating new kinds of deep probes (something Freddie had not once, not ever, made a dirty joke about). It was clear from past projects with the US government, as soon as they had figured out how to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile they'd been completely done with the main funding of their space program. If Dr. Taylor could create something useful, they'd try their best to find a way to make a weapon out of it; as humankind has always done. 

Despite understanding with his brain why this was the case, Deaky’s heart was still crushed at the thought of losing his previous life. He didn't have much of anything, but now it seems that all possibilities and hope had become closed to him. This was all the more demonstrated by Freddie being asked to fetch some of Deaky's things from his flat. Aside from clothes, that he could still wear and preferred both for privacy and as to not feel naked, the only other thing Deaky had in the whole world that still gave him something -as being blind reduced his photos to shiny paper- was a plant.

Deaky liked having his Japanese Peace Lily to come home to every night and water. It gave him comfort and routine. He could still pet the waxy leaves and water it a few times a week. It couldn't actually live in the space he was given, the labs weren't that big and as he was now blind, Deaky was given a room with no windows. No place for a plant to live. No place for him to really live either. He could only stick his head out of a rare open window or bask in the sun's heat from inside but it would never be the same.

Deaky couldn't imagine how this would ever change. Freddie graduated but still returned to visit Deaky, seemingly not out of pity, but because he genuinely liked him, and as he continued to date Roger. Deaky had resigned himself to living within these four walls with just Freddie, Roger and his plant for company. They were good to him but there was only so much one person could take, only so much a TV and radio could give a person. He missed the world and he missed experiencing it. 

He could have never imagined his life changing in such a manner as it did though. Dr. Roger Meddows Taylor had proven himself less mad scientist and more brilliant scientist as he had found a way to accelerate radio waves without compressing their frequency and making them into microwaves. With this, he had been able to send messages to the other side of the galaxy. 

... And made contact with an alien! Which is how Deaky found himself being acknowledged by someone other than Roger or Freddie for the first time in several years. Freddie had described the alien as rather humanoid shaped, being vertically symmetrical and bipedal under their needed 'disfiguring' spacesuit and, most entertainingly, sporting an afro. The first thing the alien did when shown a tour of Dr. Taylor's lab was to greet John in the polite way he had been informed manners dictated. 

Thankfully there were no other scientists or press about. Roger had been firm, and prioritized as the 'discovering' scientist (as though the alien hadn't been the one with the technology to capture, decode and understand Roger's message before tracing it back to Earth and traveling here in his interstellar spaceship), by giving the alien a tiny amount of space and privacy. They could and would have the alien later.

The alien, whose race had a concept of gender that was a little more like bees than humans, identified as 'male', as he was capable of fertilizing the 'female' that would bear and give birth to their young. While the alien was very intelligent, he hadn’t really been the one to translate English or Earth languages into his. Instead he had been smart enough to write a self-learning coding that did it for him, which meant he could communicate freely. 

He had been very pleased at the scientific interest shown in him, as few of his kind had any interest in scientific pursuits. However, he had then assumed that one person would be elected, or perhaps just a small council, that he would deal with and give data and/or knowledge to. He didn't think the whole scientific community, anthropologists and anyone in any way curious would be knocking down his door. 

Roger and Freddie hadn't been prepared for him to see Deaky. Roger was very excited to hear this, hoping to figure out the secret behind Deaky's invisibility. They quickly told the story to the alien “my name is hard for humans to pronounce, so you may call me Brian” and Deaky was thrilled to be seen. Someone other than Freddie or Roger to talk to!

Brian listened carefully to their story and looked at Roger's research on the subject. He listened attentively, asking only a few questions that he noted on his pad. Lastly he asked two questions to Deaky: "As you are now blind, you are unable to discern your own invisibility?" A nod which, for once, was seen. "And you were isolated immediately after only these two told you of your condition?" Another nod.

Brian was silent for a moment, as though considering this, and the expression on his face is unreadable even to those that have sight. "It is good then, that they did not lie to you."

That... That hadn't even occurred to John. Freddie gasped loudly, "I would never!"

Brian nodded, he had learned this human gesture, "I believe you. I believe you to be good people and I will help you in this matter."

And Brian was as good as his word. He had a kind of vibrating machine that tested the bonds and composite of atoms, not dissimilar in purpose to a scale. Despite the constant demand of his time, Brian dedicated a few hours to it everyday. He spent the time with all three of them and he got along well with Freddie and Roger. 

But he also spent time with Deaky, and Deaky has missed people so much. Someone new to talk to. John's stories and experiences aren't just new like they'd be to other people, but they are the most Brian learns about human culture. He spends most of his time with scientists and mathematicians. And Deaky makes Brian smile. Deaky can't see it, and it isn't white enamel in his mouth, but Freddie assures him it’s there anyways. 

And Deaky can't help but look forward to his daily visits from the alien. Brian was often taken-aback by Deaky's harsh biting criticism of the world and sassy retellings. While Deaky could be sharp in his worldview, Brian is soft. He believes in the goodness of mankind, the greatness of the universe, and the beauty of the world. He thinks the best of people and thus can be a little naive. Believing in people’s capability and willingness to not only cause no harm, but to actively be good.

Rather than separate them, their differences give them so much to talk and debate about. Deaky would miss this if he were ever cured, and yet he would like to learn and watch Brian's reactions. Not to mention all the other things they could do, like watch movies together. 

But Brian is perhaps cleverer or braver than Deaky, for he sees what they have and what is forming between the two of them. However it is not what Deaky thought he would hear. "I have deeply enjoyed the time I have spent with you and would like to continue our time together, even if I should find a way to reverse your invisibility."

"Sound's good to me," He wonders if however Brian is seeing him, if he can see him blushing. 

"Good, good. This being said... I have something to tell you. You see, I am seen mostly as odd by my kind for my curiosity and scientific pursuits but I have another oddity to consider." If he was human, Brian might be biting his lip, he sounds nervous and a little... ashamed. "I have observed that your species forms bond-pairs as some other species on my planet do. I however... There are far more females than males on my planet and it is common to either fight to the death for the privilege of a female or to castrate oneself and become as the born drone is."

"Holy shit," was John's automatic response. Deaky thought being a homosexual -which might still be where Brian was going with this- human was complicated, but this was even more extreme. 

"However, I was born in spirit like the drone. Despite my working reproductive organs, I have no desire for a female or to mate, no castration needed."

Deaky was too shocked for a moment to even answer Brian. "I-I," He can't help but to stammer, his jaw must be hanging on the floor, "I just- that was unexpected and a lot. Your kind can become sexless drones, willingly? Alright, that's- that's different. So you- would you be transgender by our standards? Is there anything I can do to help you with like - um dysphoria? I'm sorry I just don't think I understand."

"Do you-" Brian's voice sounded thick with emotion, "Might we embrace?" 

"Of course," Deaky replied automatically, ending up with an armful of Brian and his stiff spacesuit. Exactly like humans, after laying him so bare and fearing rejection, he craves physical reassurance and soothing.

Brian spoke softly into Deaky's neck, "I am what your language would call asexual. While I wish to pursue our relationship, I'm not sure what that will mean as we can't exist in the same atmosphere or breathe the same air. And so I would have you know all of me first. To know what you are getting into."

Deaky gently stroked Brian's hair. It's not like human hair that is limp and useless, instead it is a kind of sensing organ, the only part of Brian that can survive and endure outside of the suit. It, among many things, allows him to 'see' Deaky. It also allows him to feel, like the nerves of a finger tip and thus he enjoyed Deaky petting it. It really does feel like an afro of curly, wavy hair. "I'm sure our relationship will be complicated, but my first thought was how my invisibility affects our lives. What you are is of no matter to me. I have spent years without much physical contact and although it may be difficult I believe myself capable of it. For you.” 

"What you say to me is a great relief," Brian said which Deaky could guess by how he had melted in his embrace. "To be so..."

Deaky grabs him tightly by the hair, knowing that this doesn't hurt him but rather directs his attention like a sharp poke, "Do know that I love you, regardless of what kind of alien you are, be it a drone or an asexual man, I don't care. Who I love is you, not your species’ norm. We would have never met if you were normal. I'd much rather have my star-traveler."


End file.
